Bed or chair with supporting surfaces having angular positions variable in relation to each other



Oct. 12, 1965 e. P. c. NIELSEN 3,211,495

BED OR CHAIR WITH SUPPORTING SURFACES HAVING ANGULAR POSITIONS VARIABLE IN RELATION TO EACH OTHER Filed March 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 12, 1965 P. c. NIELSEN 3,211,495

BED OR CHAIR WITH SUPPORTING SURFACES HAVING ANGULAR POSITIONS VARIABLE IN RELATION TO EACH OTHER Filed March 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent BED OR CHAIR WITH SUPPORTING SURFACES HAVING ANGULAR POSITIONS VARIABLE IN RELATION TO EACH OTHER Georg Peter Christian Nielsen, Mysundegade 5, Copenhagen, Denmark Filed Mar. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 182,595 8 Claims. (Cl. 297-68) The invention relates to a bed or chair with supporting surfaces having angular positions variable in relation to each other and with at least one supporting surface the extent of which in the longitudinal direction of the bed or chair is adjustable by displacement of the intersection of the surface with an adjacent supporting surface so that the size of the effective supporting area may be varied.

Chairs and beds are known having one or two supporting surfaces with adjustable length and with supporting surfaces the angle between which is likewise adjustable. It is a drawback of these known designs, however, that the adjustment of the length of a supporting surface by displacement of the adjoining edge of the adjacent surface, about which edge the said adjacent surface may be tumed for angular adjustment involves a variation in the total length of all the supporting surfaces used, which, in particular, is of disadvantage in the case of sick beds in which the lengths of the difierent supporting surfaces have to be adjustable individually to conform to the body of the individual patient and by which it is important that such an adjustment can be made without varying the total length of the supporting surfaces carrying the mattress of the bed since this will involve that the mattress and other supports will not project from the ends of the bed, nor be too short for the bed. The same applies where a joint cushion is used for seat and back of a known chair of the aforesaid kind, which has the further drawback that adjustment of the length of the seat by displacing the lower edge of the back along the seat necessarily involves an alteration of the angle between seat and back, the back being mounted by means of a shaft which is placed in longitudinal slits provided in the back and is slidable in horizontal guideways in the side members of the chair.

The object of the invention is to eliminate the said drawbacks of the known designs, and an essential feature of the bed or chair according to the invention is that the said adjacent surface at such of its ends as is facing the opposite direction of the longitudinally adjustable supporting surface is supported in a frame so as to be pivotable about an axis that is parallel with the intersection of the surfaces, the said frame being at one end capable of swivelling about a permanent axis of rotation which is parallel with the identical intersection and is located at the end of the adjustable supporting surface substantially in the plane of same. The other end of the adjacent supporting surface rests on a supporting member which is movable parallel to the plane of the adjustable supporting surface and extends transversely of the said supporting surface.

The result obtained by this arrangement is that the total length of the adjustable supporting surface and the adjacent supporting surface remains substantially unaltered, a reduction in the length of the supporting surface involving, for instance, a corresponding extension of the distance from the axis of rotation of the adjacent surface and to the intersection between the surface, and the resultant variation in the angular positions of the surfaces in relation to each other may be corrected by swinging the frame about its permanent axis of rotation. While the joint axis of rotation is being displaced the surfaces will always join each other uniformly so that a mattress or blanket is always substantially supported without risk of getting wedged.

3,211,495 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 An essential feature of a bed or chair according to the invention is that the longitudinally adjustable supporting surface and the adjacent surface are divided longitudinally by spaced lamellae, the lamellae of the adjacent surface extending into the spaces between the lamellae of the longitudinally adjustable surface and the supporting member being provided beneath the lamellae.

Owing to the lamellae the adjustment of the bed or chair is facilitated since the supporting surfaces to be moved are of minimum weight and a further result obtained is that the back of the mattress may get into contact with the outside air even though the mattress is lying substantially supported on the lamellae without risk of being wedged.

According to the invention it is convenient that the axis about which the lamellae of the adjacent surface are pivotably mounted on the pivotable frame is displaceable towards and away from the axis of rotation of the frame.

When the frame is in a somewhat inclined position and the support has been advanced to a point in front of the axis of rotation of the frame, such part of the supporting surface as is facing the free end of the frame will constitute a head rest which is leaning forward in relation to the back so that a patient, for example, occupies a comfortable position for reading or eating. By displacing the axis of rotation of the lamellae the supports for back and head may be adapted to suit the body length of the individual patient.

When the adjustment of the efficient area of a supporting surface is to be effected by means of a servomotor which, for example, is operated by the user, it is convenient according to the inventon that the movable supporting member is a crank that is rotatably supported beneath the supporting surface having adjustable area.

In the case of a cheaper bed to be operated by hand only the movable supporting member may according to the invention be a bar which is slidably supported in a guideway at either side of the supporting surface the area of which is adjustable.

As mentioned the invention may also be used in connection with sick beds of the kind having supporting surfaces consisting of two halves which are pivotable in relation to each other about a longitudinal axis and an essential feature of such a bed or chair is that the longitudinally adjustable supporting surface and the adjacent surface are both composed of two halves that are pivotable about a longitudinal axis, the supporting member being divided into two parts each of which is movable along one of the half parts of the supporting surface.

In this manner the invention may be used in the known beds of this kind and it is hereby possible to support a patient in more different ways than hitherto.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the drawing which shows by way of example a part of an embodiment of a bed according to the invention. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an overhead perspective view of an embodiment according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a side view of a detail of an embodiment of adjustable supporting means.

The piece of furniture disclosed has a base 1 supporting a frame 2 the front part of which constitutes a seat consisting of spaced elements or lamellae 3. At the end of the said lamellae is a pivotably supported frame 4. The frame 4 may be supported in any desired inclined position by means of known supporting and adjusting means, e.g. a clamp 10 resting in notches provided in the frame 2. The back is constituted by elements or lamellae which are pivotable about axle 6 located in the plane of the frame 4 and parallel with the axis about which the frame turns, the lamellae 5 extending into the spaces between the lamellae 3 of the seat whereby the lamellae are interleaved. Between the axle 6 and the upper end of the frame 4 are provided lamellae 7 which form a support for the back of the head. The supportnig member for adjustment of the area of the seat, and the back is in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 constituted by a rod or bar 8 which is displaceable in tooth-formed guideways. As the rod 8 is moved in the guideways 9, the lamellae 5 which rest on the rod undergo angular variation causing a variation in the exposed surface of the lamellae 3 as measured from the line of intersection between the lamellae 5 and 3.

At the opposite end of the seat there is provided in similar manner a frame 14 with lamellae 15 which are pivotable about an axis 16 at which the frame 14 is hinged to a base section 17.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of supporting means for adjustment of the area of the seat and the rack comprising a crank 8' having a handle 18 and pivotally connected to base 1. A pawl on crank 8' cooperates with rack 20 to hold the crank 8' in adjusted position.

The invention may be used in combination with a great variety of chairs and beds and similar furniture such as armchairs, garden furniture, motor car seats and office chairs. The lamellae constituting the supporting surfaces may also be substituted by cords, in which case the cords substituting the lamellae 5 are wound on the bar 8, which, for example, may be of square cross-section or provided with holes for the teeth of the guideway 9.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article of furniture having a seating surface and a plurality of supporting surfaces having variable angular positions with respect to one another and with respect to said seating surface to expose varying lengths of the seating surface dependent upon the angular position of the supporting surfaces, said seating surface including parallel spaced longitudinally extending elements, said supporting surfaces respectively including parallel spaced elements interleaved between the elements of the seating surface at opposite ends thereof, a base, a frame supported from said base, a second and third frame, respectively pivotally supported from the first said frame and respectively supporting for pivotal movement the spaced elements of the supporting surfaces, and means adjustably supported from-said base and in turn supporting the elements of the supporting surfaces for longitudinally varying the location of the support of said elements of the supporting surfaces for thereby varying the exposed longitudinal extent of the elements of the seating surface between the elements of the respective supporting surfaces.

2. An article of furniture comprising a seating surface, a supporting surface having varying angular positions with respect to said seating surface to expose varying lengths of the seating surface in dependence upon the angular position of the supporting surface, said seating surface including spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending elements, said supporting surface including spaced parallel elements having ends interleaved between the elements of the supporting surface, means supporting the elements of the supporting surface at the ends thereof remote from the ends interleaved with the elements of the seating surface, for pivotal movement about an axis spaced from said elements of the seating surface and extending transversely with respect thereto, and means movable in a direction parallel to the elements of the seating surface and supporting said elements of the supporting surface at the first mentioned ends thereof for angularly varying the position of the elements of the supporting surface with respect to said seating surface while exposing varying lengths of the elements of the seating surface corresponding to the angular positions of the elements of the supporting surface relative to the elements of the seating surface.

3. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 2 Wherein the means supporting the elements of the supporting surface for pivotal movement comprises a frame pivotally supporting said elements of the supporting surface and in turn, pivotally supported in the plane of the seating surface for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the elements of the seating surface.

4. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 2 Wherein the axis about which the elements of the supporting surface is pivotable, lies above the seating surface and said means supporting said elements of the supporting surface at said first mentioned ends thereof comprises a rod extending transversely to the elements of the seating surface and located therebeneath.

5. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 2 comprising a frame supporting the seating surface, said means supporting the elements of the supporting surface for pivotal movement comprising a second frame pivotally connected to the first said frame for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the elements of the seating surface, and means for displacing the axis about which the elements of the supporting surface are pivotally supported towards and away from the axis about which the second frame pivots with respect to the first said frame.

6. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 2 wherein the movable means is a crank pivotably supported beneath the seating surface.

7. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 2 wherein the movable means is a bar which is displaceable in a guideway at either side of the seating surface.

8. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 2 wherein the seating surface and the supporting surface are each composed of two halves pivotable about a longitudinal axis, the movable means being divided into two parts each of which is movable along one of the halves of the seating surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 56,211 7/66 Guyer 5-69 254,149 Q/SZ Mott 568 984,879 2/11 Bartholome 569 1,055,241 3/13 Terry 5-67 X 1,248,931 1 2/17 Schuman 297--68 2,168,455 8/39 Smith 5327 FOREIGN. PATENTS 98,555 4/40 Sweden.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE HAVING A SEATING SURFACE AND A PLURALITY OF SUPPORTING SURFACES HAVING VARIABLE ANGULAR POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER AND WITH RESPECT TO SAID SEATING SURFACE TO EXPOSE VARYING LENGTHS OF THE SEATING SURFACE DEPENDENT UPON THE ANGULAR POSITION OF THE SUPPORTING SURFACES, SAID SEATING SURFCE INCLUDING PARALLEL SPACED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ELEMENTS, SAID SUPPORTING SURFACES RESPECTIVELY INCLUDING PARALLEL SPACED ELEMENTS INTERLEAVED BETWEEN THE ELEMENTS OF THE SEATING SURFACE AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, A BASE, A FRAME SUPPORTED FROM SAID BASE, A SECOND AND THIRD FRAME, RESPECTIVELY PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED FROM AND THIRD FRAME, RESPECTIVELY PIVOTALLY PORTING FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THE SPACED ELEMENTS OF THE SUPPORTING SURFACES, AND MEANS ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTED FROM SAID BASE AND IN TURN SUPPORTING THE ELEMENTS OF FOR SUPPORTING SURFACES FOR LONGITUDINALLY VARYING THE LOCATION OF THE SUPPORT OF SAID ELEMENTS OF THE SUPPORTING SURFACES FOR THEREBY VARYING THE EXPOSED LONGITUDINAL EXTENT OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE SEATING SURFACE BETWEEN THE ELEMENTS OF THE RESPECTIVE SUPPORTING SURFACES. 